Lathe tooling mechanism



Dec'. 21, 1943. Y J. E. LOUDON EIAL LATHE TOOLING MECHKNISM Filed March2, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 21, 1943.

E. LOUDON YEI'AL 2,337,530

LATHE TOOLING- MECHANISM Fil ed March 2, 1943 s Sheets-Sheet 2 3 sheets-sheet 's Dec. 2l, 1943. J. E. LOUDON ETAL LATHE TOOLING MECHANISM FiledMarch 2, 1943 m R. &

Patented Dec. 21, 1943 LATHE TOOLING MECHANISM James E. London,Claremont, N. H., and Edward H. Sinclair, Jr., Windsor, Vt., assignorsto Cone Automatic Machine Company, 1110., Windsor, Vt., a corporation ofVermont Application March 2, 1943, Serial No. 477,694

7 Claims.

This invention relates to tooling mechanism especially suitable formachines operating on bar stock, though not limited thereto, and has foran object to provide one or more tools operative on work at apredetermined portion of the length thereof and actuated by motion ofmeans movable substantially parallel to the axis of the stock.

Another object is to provide such a mechanism which is suitable for usewith one or more spindles of a multiple spindle lathe.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a mechanismwherein the stock is so supported adjacent to the position of toolingthat bending or chattering is substantially wholly prevented.

A further object is to provide in such a mechanism means by which aplurality of tools may be given motion individual to the respectivetools and wherein the tools may, if desired, operate on differentlengthwise portions of the stock.

Further objects and advantages will appear from a description of certainembodiments of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings in whichFigure 1 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly inlongitudinal vertical section of a multiple spindle lathe of the wellknown Cone type showing an embodiment of this invention associated withone of the work spindles, and in retracted position.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view to a larger scale similar to a portion ofFigure 1 but showing the tool mechanism in vertical section on line 2-2of Figure 3.

-Figure'3 is a detail sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a work piece illustrating one type ofwork which may be done by mechanism embodying this invention.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the mechanism inposition about to start operating on a work piece.

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 6, but showing the toolingoperation substantially completed.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view on line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Figures 9 to 12 and 14 are fragmentary sectional views similar to aportion of Figure 7, but showing various other tooling operations whichmay be performed by the mechanism of this in vention.

Figure 13 is a sectional View on line i3-i3 of Figure 11.

Figure 15 is a sectional view on line [5-55 of Figure 14.

In the drawings, this invention is shown as applied to a multiplespindle lathe of the well known Cone type such as is shown, for example,in the Miller Patent No. 2,236,440 granted March 25, 1941, for Automaticmultiple spindle machine. As is well known, such machines are providedwith a spindle carrying drum or turret which is indexed about an axis,this axis being centrally arranged with reference to a plurality ofrotary work carrying spindles which are arranged in circular array.

One of these spindles is shown at i in Figure 1, and it is arranged tobe rotated from the rotation of a central shaft 2 coaxial with theturret or drum and which carries a gear 3 meshing with a gear 4 carriedby the work spindle. The work 5 extends through the work spindle andmachining operations are performed on that portion of the work whichprojects beyond the spindle. The shaft 2 is arranged to rotate within asleeve 6 coaxial therewith, and this sleeve carries for reciprocationthereon, a tool holding turret 1 provided with T slots 8 in itsperiphery for the attachment thereto of tool holders of various kinds,depending upon the nature of the operation intended to be performed onthe work. This turret l is fixed to a slide l0 guided from an overheadframe member II and provided with a cam follower i2 which projectsupwardly into operative relation to cams (not shown) on a drum [4carriedby an overhead cam shaft IS. The tooling mechanism of thisinvention as applied to a machine of this type is carried by the turret1, the axial motions of which are caused to bring the tools carriedthereby into and out of the desired position along the length of theprojecting work piece 5, and then by further motion of the turretaxially, the tools carried by this attachment, are arranged to be fedinto operative relation to the work or retracted therefrom.

As shown best in Figures 3 and 8, the tooling attachment comprises atubular tool head 20 which has a concave side portion 2| engageableabout a portion of the periphery of the tool turret l and provided withsuitable means for engaging in one of the T slots 8, and for clampingthe head in position at the desired lengthwise portion of the toolturret. The central opening of the tool head is arranged to receivetherein the work piece 5 projecting from the work spindle in one indexedposition of the spindle carrying drum.

One arrangement of tools within the head is illustrated in Figures 3, 4,6, '7 and 8. In these figures the tool head is shown as provided withthree longitudinally extending dovetail guide slot 22 which are arrangedat an angle to the axis of the work, the slots being inclined toward thespindle axes in the direction away from the spindles. V'Jithin each ofthese Ways 22 is slidably mounted a tool carrier 23. Preferably, and inorder to take up wear, the tool carrier is of less width than thedovetail guide slot so that adjustable wear take-up shims 26' may binterposed between one side face of the carrier and the correspondingside wall of the dovetail guide slot. These shims may be adjusted byadjustment of the screws 24 and 25. Each of these carriers is shown asprovided with a forming tool 3!) and each tool may be fixed in positionon its carrier by a clamping plate 3| having beveled side edges, oneengaging an inclined face 2311' of the carrier and the other a dovetailbase portion 32 of the tool 3!! and pressing the opposit dovetail edgeof the tool into engagement with a mating edge 33 on the tool carrier-Each of these tool carriers has threaded into. its rearward face a rod35 which extends through a frame member 36 which may be the wall of thedriving mechanism column of the machine, and inwardly of this wallmember 36", stop and check nuts 3'! are shown as threaded thereon. Therod 35 is surrounded by a coil spring M) which reacts between the innerface of. the wall 36 and stop and check nuts ll and 42 threaded on therod 35 spaced somewhat from the adjacent ends of the tool carriers 23.The nuts 3! are so positioned along the rod 35 that when the nuts 31contact with the wall member 36 the tools 30 are in the desired axialposition along the work piece 5 for the tools to be effective thereon asshown in Figures 3 and 6. The stop and check nuts 4| and 42 are then.

in. position where they engage the outer end of thetool. head 26. Whenthe parts are in this position, a. stop rod 45 secured at its outer endbetween the nuts 46 and 41' on either side of the partition member 36',extends through a hole 48 through the slide it] forwardly of which it isprovided. with the stop and check nuts 5| and 52' which in that positionof the parts is still spaced away from a stop boss 53 integral With theslide Ill. This permits the slide to be given a further motion towardthe spindle drum before it is stopped by engagement of the stop nuts 5|against the stop boss 53, and. during this motion tool carriers 23',being prevented from forward.

motion by the stop nuts 37, are forced inwardly by the longitudinalmotion of the head 20' relative to the tool carriers, bringing the toolcarriers toward each other and cutting into the work as shown in Figure7, until such time as the stop nut 5|. contacts with the boss 53 andstops further motion in that. direction of the slide Ill and the toolturret T.

On reverse direction of sliding motion of the slide it! from theposition shown in Figures '7 and 8 to the position shown in Figures 3and 6, the springs 3E1 hold the tool carriers 23 in their same positionlengthwise of the work, but the retraction of the tool head with respectto these carriers brings the tools outwardly into the position shown inFigure 6. Where three tool carriers are employed, as shown in thesefigures, each tool takes a portion of the cut and produces a neck on thework as at 55 in Figure 5.

Further retraction of the slide I toward the partition 35, the stop nutsthen being in contact with the outer end of the tool head, causes therods 35 to be retracted, bringing the stop nuts 31 away from thepartition 36 a shown in Figures 1 and 2, this motion retracting the toolhead, and with it the tool carriers and tools, beyond the end of theprojecting work piece so that the spindle drum may be indexed to bring asucceeding work piece into position to be operated upon by the tools ofthe attachment. The springs 35 hold the tool carriers in their forwardand outer positions while the tool head is being retracted from theposition of Figures '7 and 8 to that of Figures 1 and 2 and theattachment is then in condition for forward movement, after the spindledrum has been indexed, to mov over the next presented work piece to thedesired distance from its end and then to be moved into operativeengagement therewith.

InFigures 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8 all of the tools are shown in alinement with.each other lengthwise of the work piece, but if desired they may bedisposed differently, as shown, for example, in Figures 9 and 10. InFigure 9 the tools are shown as overlapping each other lengthwise sothat one of the tools cuts the Work nearest to the spindle, another onecuts somewhat further toward the end of the work, as shown by dottedlines in Figure 9, and the third cuts-still further toward the end ofthe work so as to produce a relatively long reduced diameter portion ofthe Work, leaving an enlarged head 6| at its outer end. In Figure 1c,the tools are shown as having no overlapping cutting portions, each toolacting at its own lengthwise position along the work to produce threereduced diameter portions 62, E3, and 64, spaced by enlarged diametershoulders, and 6E therebetween. It will be noted, however, that in eachof the constructions thus far described, the tools Work at differentangular positions around the work, each tool thus acting as a steadyrest With respect to the other tools so that chattering of therelatively long work piece is effectively prevented.

In all these constructions it will also be noted that each of the toolscuts to the same depth in the work, but it may be that in some casescutting to different depths may be desirable. Where this is so,constructions such as are shown in Figures 11, 12 and 13 may be employedin which instead of having sloping ways out directly into the tool head,these ways may be formed as parts of separate inserts 13, each havingits. own slope, and preferably each having an outer face parallel to theWork axis as at 1| mating a nontapered head socket or groove 12 in whichit may be secured as by screws 13. As shown in Figure 11, a pair of suchinserts, each having sloping ways, the slopes of which differ from eachother are employed, and they are arranged to come into action atdifferent lengthwise portions of the work so that one tool produces areduced diameter portion M outwardly of. Which the diameter is furtherreduced to form the portion I35 and the end portion of the work is cutto tapering contour as at 540.

In Figure 12 an arrangement is shown in which the tools do not have anyoverlapping zones, one of them cutting the reduced diameter portion 15.the second a tapered portion 16 spaced axially from the portion 75, andthe third cutting a reduced diameter portion 77 spaced axially from theportion 76, the reduced diameter portions be-- ing of difierentdiameters.

In some cases it may be desired that all of the cutting be done by asingle tool, as shown in Figures 14 and 15, and when this is desired thework may be supported against the thrust o-fthis tool by a pair ofrollers 80 journaled in carriers 8|, movable in the ways of the toolhead and in place of the tool carriers at these angular positions.

From the foregoing description of certain embodiments of this invention,it should be evident to those skilled in thev art that various othermodifications and changes might be made without departing from thespirit or scope of this invention.

. We claim:

l. The combination with a work spindle, of a tool head movablelengthwise of said work spindle to bring a tool on said head into andout of a desired axial relation to work projecting from said spindle,means for relatively rotating said spindle and tool head, atool.c'arrier supporting said tool and mountedonisaidihead for motionrelative to said head with a component toward and from the axis of saidwork spindle, means engageable with said carrier for limiting the motionof said carrier with said head in one direction while the motion of saidhead continuing thereafter causes said carrier and tool to move towardsaid work axis, and means for moving said tool head to position saidtool at a predetermined axial relation to the work and then when theaxial motion of said tool carrier has been stopped to feed said toolinto the work to a predetermined extent as said head is moved in onedirection and for withdrawing said tool from the work and thenretracting the tool axially from th Work as said head is moved in theopposite direction.

2. The combination with a work spindle for supporting a length of work,of a head movable lengthwise of work carried by said spindle, means forso moving said head, means for relatively rotating said spindle andhead, said head having a longitudinal guide portion inclined toward theaxis of said spindle in the direction away from said spindle, a toolcarrier slidable along said guide portion and having a tool, meansyieldingly holding said carrier in position on said guide retracted fromsaid axis, means for limiting the motion of said carrier with said headin said lengthwise direction whereby said tool is moved to apredetermined position along the work by movement of said head,continued motion of said head thereafter causing relative sliding ofsaid carrier and head to bring said carrier and tool toward the workaxis to cause said tool to act upon the v,work.

3. The combination with a work spindle, of a tubular tool head throughwhich work projecting from one end of said spindle may extend, said headbeing movable lengthwise of such work, means for relatively rotatingsaid spindle and head, said tool head having on its inner face alongitudinal guide portion inclined toward the axis of said spindle inthe direction away from said spindle, a tool carrier slidable along saidguide portion and holding a tool for operation on the work, meansyieldingly retaining said carrier near to the spindle end of said headwith said tool retracted from the work, means for limiting the movementof said carrier with said head toward said spindle to an amountcorresponding to that lengthwise portion of the work where action on thework by said tool is desired, whereby on further motion of said headtoward said spindle said carrier is moved toward said axis and said tooloperates on the work at said lengthwise portion, and means for movingsaid head lengthwise of the work.

4. The combination with a work spindle, of a tubular tool head throughwhich work projecting from one end of said spindle may extend, said headbeing movable lengthwise of such work, means for relatively rotatingsaid spindle and head, said tool head having on its inner face alongitudinal guide portion inclined toward the axis of said spindle inthe direction away from said spindle, a tool carrier slidable along saidguide portion and holding a tool for operation on the work, meansyieldingly retaining said carrier near to the spindle end of said headwith said tool retracted from the work, means for limiting the movementof said carrier with said head toward said spindle to an amountcorresponding to that lengthwise portion of the work where action on thework by said tool is desired, whereby on further motion of said headtoward said spindle said carrier is moved toward said axis and said tooloperates on the work at said lengthwise portion, means for moving saidhead lengthwise of the work, and means for limiting the extent of saidlengthwise motion to limit the depth to which said tool is to feed intothe work.

5. The combination with a work spindle, of a tubular tool head throughwhich work projecting from one end of said spindle may extend, said headbeing movable lengthwise of such work, means for relatively rotatingsaid spindle and head, said tool head having on its inner face alongitudinal guide portion inclined toward the axis of said spindle inthe direction away from said spindle, a tool carrier slidable along saidguide portion and holding a tool for operation on the work, meansyieldingly retaining said carrier near to the spindle end of said headwith said tool retracted from the work, means for limting the movementof said carrier with said head toward said spindle to an amountcorresponding to that lengthwise portion of the work where ac tion onthe work by said tool is desired, whereby on further motion of said headtoward said spindle said carrier is moved toward said axis and said tooloperates on the work at said lengthwise portion, means for moving saidhead lengthwise of the work, means for limiting the extent of saidlengthwise motion to limit the depth to which said tool is to feed withthe work, and means carried on the interior of said head in position totake the thrust on the work produced by the pressure of the toolthereon.

6. The combination with a work spindle, of a tool head movablelengthwise of said work spin dle to bring a tool on said head into andout of a desired axial relation to work held by said spindle, a toolcarrier block carried by said head and having a way sloping lengthwisetoward the axis of said spindle, a tool carrier having a portionengaging said way and supporting said tool, means for moving said headlengthwise of said spindle, means for stopping the motion of said toolcarrier with said head in one direction while said head continues tomove, such continued motion of said head causing motion of said toolcarrier relative to said sloping way and toward said work axis, meanslimiting the motion of said head, yielding means acting on said carriertending to move said carrier toward the outer end of said way relativelyto said work axis, and means for moving said head lengthwise of saidwork axis.

7. In combination with a multiple spindle lathe having an indexabledrum,a plurality of rotary work spindles arranged in circular array about theindexing axis of said drum and arranged to support work piecesprojecting from one end. of each of said spindles at one face of saiddrum, a

support arranged coaxially with said drum and projecting from said oneface, a slide movable on said support from and toward said face, meansto rotate said spindle, means to index said drum, and means to move saidslide, of a tubular tool head carried by said slide, said head when saidslide is retracted being clear of said Work pieces to permit indexing ofsaid drum, said head being positioned to receive a work piece therein inone indexed position when said slide is moved toward said drum, saidtool head having a guide portion therein inclined toward the axis of awork piece extending thereinto, a tool carrier mounted to slide on saidguide portion andihaving a tool for operating on the work extending intosaid head, a fixed wall member spaced from said drum face,

a rod secured at one end to said carrier and extending through openingsin said head and wall member, a stop on said rod engageable with saidhead and determining the forward limiting position of said carrier withrelation to said head, a spring surrounding said rod and reactingbetween said stop and said wall member for yield- JAMESE. LOUDON. EDWARDH. SINCLAIR, JR;

